Adjustable sewer cleaner



Feb. 20, 1923. 1,446,224. J M THOMPSON ET AL ADJUSTABLE SEWER CLEANER.

HLED 02c. a. 1921. a sums-smear 1.

Feb. 20, 1923.

FILED DEC. 8.1921.

1 M THOMPSON ET AL ADJUSTABLE SEWER CLEANER.

EEEE

J. M. THOMPSON ET AL.

ADJUSTABLE SEWER CLEANER.

Feb. 20, 1923.

FILE-D 050.8.1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

F's-iterated Fish. 2%, i923.

v i ligi lA6,Z24

JOHN ll i. THOBEPSON AND tVILLIAM Z-EI. THOIEPSON, O F BUFFALO, NEWYORK.

ADJUSTABLE SERVER CLEANER.

Application filed De-cember 8, 1921. Serial No. 521,024.

To all "l(]i0772 it may concern:

Be it known that we, Jenn M. Tiioiirson and lViLLXAIll' H. Trioiirsoiq,citizens of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county ofErie and State of New York, have invented a new and usehilIIHPI'OVQlTlGIl't in uljustabie Sewer Cleaners, of which the follimingis a speciii 'ation.

lhis invention relates to sewer cleaners of the kind which are adaptedto be drawn through a, sewer pipe for the purpose of removingobstructions which may have accumulated therein, and more particularlyto sewer cleaners of this kind which are adj ustable to fit into sewersof different sizes.

Theobjects of the invention. are to pro vide asewer cleaner ofthis kindhaving means of improved constructii'in for adapting; the same tooperate onsewers of different diameters; also to improve theconstruction of adjustable sewer cleaners for the purpose of producing astrong, rigid, and com.- paratively inexpensive sewer cleaner which canbe easily adjusted to the desired size; also to provide the variousparts of the sewer cleaner with. sharpened edges which assist in cuttingobstructions in a sewer; also to provide a cleaner of this kind which isso constructed that the parts thereof can be rigidly held in anyadjusted position, so that the cleaner may be drawn through a sewer ineither direction; also to improve the adjustal'ile sewer cleaners inother respects hereinafter specified.

In, the accompanying drawings:

1' and 2 are side elevations of an ad justable sewer cleaner embodyingthe invention, Fig. l

i showing the parts of toe same adjusted to fit a small sewer and Fig. 2showing the same adapted to lit a larger sewer.

Figs. 3 and a are longitudinal sectional The sewer cleaner includes asubstantially central body portion on which the adjustahle parts of thecleaner are mounted anl which is adapted receive the dratlit strainsexample, as rivets a.

to which the cleaner is subjected. This body portion may he of anysuitable or desired construction, that shown including a plu rality ofangle bars A four being used in the construction shown, which extendlengthwise of the cleaner and the ends of which are rigidly secured tofront and rear fittings or end pieces B and C. The angle bars in theconstructioi'i shown are so arranged that the of the bars form fourspaces or channels and. for this purpose, the angle bars are titted intorectangular depressions formed between radially extending arms 6 and cof the. end pieces, and may be secured to the arms by any suitablemeans, such for In order to help in clearing a sewer of obstructions,the front edges oi, the angle bars are preferably sharpened to formcutting; edges,'as shown at a. The front end piece B is also providedwith a. forwardl extending lug or part b to which the clevis or otherattaching; means 5 may be secured, for example, by means of a bolt 7)"extending through the projection Z2 Figs. 2 and 3. The rear end piece ispro vided with a corresponding projection c which is preferably hollowand which is also provided with holes adapted to receive a bolt (4 forattaching a clevis c to the rear end piece or fitting. These end piecesconsequently serve for the two-fold purpose of holding; the angle barsof the body in correct relation to each other and also of affordingmeans for attaching draft devices thereto. End pieces or fittings ofother suitable or desired construction, however, may be provided. a

The sewer cleaner is provided with a plurality of horizontal shoes orguide bars D which are adapted to engage the inner walls of the sewerand which serve the two fold purpose of guiding the cleaner in itsmovement through a, sewer and also of cutting deposits formed in thesewer. These shoes or guide liars may be of any suitable or desiredconstruction, those shown being prorlded wvith web portions (.5 whichare arranged in substantially radial planes with reference to the bodyof the sewer cleaner and the intermediate portions of the shoes orcutting bars are provided with substantially circumferential flanges (Zwhich afford a somewhat extended bearing on the inner surface "of thesewer. In order to facilitate the cutting of deposits from the sewer,the opposite sides of the flanged portions (5 are preferably sharpenedas indicated at thus providing both radial and circumferential cuttingedges. Any desired number of shoes or guide bars may be provided, fourbein shown in the construction illustrated. which have the function ofdividing thedeposit in the sewer into four parts and thereby facilitatethe removal thereof.

The shoes or'guide bars may be adjusted relatively to the central bodyportion of the sewer cleaner in any desired manner. in the Constructionshown for this purpose, each shoe or guide bar is connected to theflanges of two adjacent angle bars A by means of two or more parallellinks E, the outer ends of wl'iichare pivotally connected adjacent tothe end portions of the shoes D by means of pivots e or the like. Theinner ends ofthe parallel. links are connected. to the flanges of theangle bars A. by means of pivots 0. These links are also preferablypro-' videdwith, sharpened front and rear e lges e which greatly assistin cutting the deposit in the sewer, particularly in view of the factthat these links are generally arranged in angular relation withreference to the body portion of the sewer cleaner, so that a gradualentrance of the cutting edges into the de posit is effected. Theparallel links connecting the body portion with the guide shoes n. a-ybe of any suitable construction, those shown including hub portionsarranged between flanges of adjacent angle i bars and pivoted theretoand bifurcated outer portions. the ends of which straddle the webs (Z ofthe shoes and are pivoted thereto. I I

The adjusting of the guide shoes or bars with reference to the centralbody portion of the cleaner may be effected in the construction shown,by means of toggle or adjusting links F. a pair of these links beingprovided in the construction shown. for each" of the guide shoes, theouter ends of which are connected to. the flange (Z of th, guide shoe bymeans of a pivot e, and the inner ends of the links are pivotallyconnected to an adjusting block or nut F. which in the constructionshown is movable lengthwise of the body portion of the sewer cleaner.The adjusting block shown, see particularly Fig. 6, has angle shapedrecesses f into which the corners of the angle bars are adapted to enterfor guiding the block F in its movement, and this block is alsopreferably provided with outwardly extending arms or projections f towhich the inner ends of the toggle links F are pivotally connected. Itwill be readily seen that by moving the adjusting block lengthwise ofthe body portion of the sewer :cleaner. the guide shoes may be adjustedtoward and from the body portion of the of the screw shaft are suitablyjournalled in i the end. pieces or fittings B and (l, a bearing collarybeing preferably arranged adjacent to the front titting B which isadjustable to take up any slack or lost motion which may occur in thescrew shaft. shaft is also provided adjacent to its other end with abearing collar 9, and extends through the rear end piece or fitting Cand into tiierecessed portion thereof, and this end of the screw shaftis provided with an end which is preferably squared or otherwise formedto receive a wrench, or key, not shown, for turning the shaft to movethe adjusting block nut in either direction and thereby to adjust thesewer cleaner for sewers of different diameters. Any other means foradjusting the position of the block F may be provided.

The sewer cleaner is preferably also provided with a gaging, reinforcingand cut ting member H which. in the construction shown. is inthe form ofa disk and is adapt ed to engage the material accumulated in the sewerand push the same through the sewer to a part thereof where thismaterial can be removed. lnthe construction shown for this purpose, themember or disk H is provided with an annular, forwardly extending flange7L provided with a plurality of cutting teeth It. Since it is desirablethat this cutting and pushing disk should be of a size slightly smallerthan the diameter of a sewer to be cleaned, it is desirable that aplurality of these disks be provided. one for each different size ofsewer to be cleaned and these disks are so mounted on the body iortionof the sewer cleaner that they can be readily secured thereto or removedtherefrom. For this purpose, those cutting members which are used inconnection with sewer pipes of relatively large diameters are, in theconstruction shown, arranged to be se cured on the angle bars A of thebody portion. The cutti disks of larger diameter are provided withcentral apertures through which the rear end of the body portion isadapted to extend and with rearwardly extending portions or lugs 72,adapted to enter between the legs of the angle bars A. One or more ofthese lugs is provided with a set screw its for clamping the cuttingdisk in place on the body portion. The cutting disks of smaller diameterare provided with Cir The

intense flange portions h having set screws h adapted to engage withtherearwardly projecting portion of the rear fitting C. In the use oi. thesewer cleaner, this annular cutting flange it serves the purpose ofsevering the deposi' in the sewer pipe adjacent the inner faces of thepipe, and the disk shaped portions thereof engage the accumulations inthe pipe and force them lengthwise of the sewer into a portion thereofwhere the ac cuinulations may be removed.

T he annular cutting members H serve tun ther purposes in connectionwith the adjustable cleaner. In the first place, the incl ibers H engagethe rear ends of the guide shoes or bars l) and thus reinforce theseportions thereof, and secondly the cutting members form gages by meansof which the cleaner may readily be set for sewers of the desired.diameter. F or this purpose, the members ii. in the constructionshown,'are provided with a plurality of substantially radial recesnotches I extending inwardly from t l edges thereof, four of theserecesses being shown in the construction illustrated, in which theradial flanges a of the guide shoes or bars are adaptedto seat.Conscquenhy adjusting the sewer cleaner for a particular sewer, acutting disk of the desired size is selected and is placed intooperative relation to the body portion of the cleaner. The screw shaft Gis then turned in such a mannor as to move the flanges (Z of the guideshoes into the recesses I of the cutting disk. When the radial flanges dof the guide shoes seat in the bottoms of the recesses I the sewercleaner cori tly adjusted for the corresponding size of sewer andfurthermore the rear ones of the guide shoes are stron gly braced toresist the strains or pressure to which they may be subjected. The frontends of the guide shoes are betterireinforced against pressures orstrains owing to the tact that these ends of the shoes are connected tothe body portion of the cleaner by means of two sets of links namely thefront links it) and the'toggle links F.

In the use of the sewer cleaner, a cable or other draft device. isattached to the front clcris 6 thereof and the device drawn through thesewer to be cleaned.

,he deposit in. the sewer is, then cut by the radial cutting edges a ofthe. angle bars A, the Front cutting edges 6 oi the front and rearparallel links E and the radial cutting edges 1.4 or the guide shoes, aswell as the longitu dinal cutting edges of the outer flanges ot theshoes. The deposit in the sewer is further cut by means of the cuttingteeth h" of the cutting disks and these disks also push the looseneddeposit lengthwise of the sewer. The many cutting edges provided on thesewer cleaner make the cleaner particularly desirable for clearingsewers of tree roots which have grown into the same, as well in a sewerpipe into series or sector-shay for removing any other deposits whichmay form in the sewers. It, for example, a hard deposit is formed on asewendue to the deposit of chemicals or other materials therein, thecleaner may be drawn through the sewer a number of diiierent times, thecleaner at first being contracted in diameter and being increased indiameter after each pas sage through the sewer, until the same is largeas can be used in connection with the sewer. In this manner the depositscan be gradually cut away. (Ewing to the fact that the cutting edges a,e and Z? flare or incline outwardly and rearwardly with reference to thebody portion of the cleaner, the cutti of deposits, roots or the liketroina sewer i.-. greatly facilitated, since a smaller end oi the sewercleaner enters the deposit in ad Vance oi the portion thereof of largerdiameter. i

By means of the construction showina single sewer cleaner can housed ona large number of difierent sized sewers and the cleaner can be veryquickly adjusted to cooperate with sewers or diti'erent sizes. Theconstruction of the cleaner is such that the parts thereof are rigidlyheld in'any position into which they are set, so that the cleaner may bedrawn through the sewer in either ClUQCtlOD. 'Uonsequentlyni the cleanercannot be pulled through the sewer, due to the obstructions therein, itcan be withdrawn in the opposite direction. i I

We claim as our invention:

1. In a sewer cleaner, the combination of a central body portion, guideshoes adapted to engage with a sewer pipe, radial connecting partssupporting said guide hoes from sair body port on, said connect andguide shoes being adapted to cut dep.

portions, and means for holding said; ra. connecting parts in dliiiel'cnhpOFltlOil relatively to said shoes and body portion to adapt thesewer cleaner to operate on sewers of different sizes. i

i 2. In a sewer cleaner, the combination of a 7 central body portion,guide shoes adapted to engage with a sewer pipey radial connecting partssupporting said ide shoes from said body portion, said connecting partsbeing; adaptedto make a series oi cuts in'the deposit in a sewer pipe,which cuts extend sub stantially from the center to the inner surface ofthe sewer pipe, and a disk arranged on the rear end of sell having aplurality ot'c rcumferential teeth which cut thedeposit from thesurfaceoi' a sewer pipe and push the sanielengthwise or the pipe. i

3. A sewer cleaner having cutting inenn hers which are arranged to outthe deposit in a sewer intoa series of sector-shaped poi? tions, and adisk arrangedon the rear end of the sewer cleaner and having circurnieul'iS . scent to the surtace of a tial cuttingineans which cut thedeposit sewer pipe, the body portion cl disn serving to push the cutmaterial lengthwise of the pipe l. I l sewer cleaner having adialpivoted cutting members which are a ang ed to cut the deposit in a sewerinto a series of sectorshaped portions, means tor pushing said portionslengthwise of a sewer, and i'neans for holding said cutting members indiilerentv angular relations to the sewer cleaner to adapt the same tooperate on sewers o't-different diameters i 5. In a sewer cleaner, thecombiuatmn ot' a central lBOC y portion, anadjusting screw arrangedthereon, guide shoes movable to difl'erent distances iirom saidbodyportion, pair of parallel linlrs connecting each guide shoe with saidbody portion, an adjusting block movable lengti -ise on said body portion and" co-operat g with said adjusting screw, and toggle lllllisconnecting said adjusting block and said guide shoes.

('5. in a sewer cleaner the combination of a central body portion, aplurality of guide shoes adjustably mounted thereon, a pair oi? parallellinks connecting each guide shoe with said body portion, a blockadjustably mounted on said body portion, an adjustable screw for holdingsaid block in difl'erent positions on said body portion, and meansconnecting said block and said shoes for positioning said shoes atdifferent distances from said body portion.

In a sewer cleaner the combination of a central body portion, aplurality of guide shoes adjustably, mounted thereon, parallel linksconn'ectin 'said body portion. and said guide shoes, apair o'f'paralle]links connectin g each guide shoe with said body portion. on adjustingblock movably niouiitedon said body portion means connecting said blockwith said shoes for determining the positions thereo'l relatively tosaid body portion, and means for rigidly securing said block to saidbody portion. j

Ina sewer cleaner the combination of a central body portion, a pluralityof guide hoes adjustably mounted thereon, parallel linlis connectingsaid body portion and said guide shoes, for guiding the movement of saidguide shoes relatively to said body portion, an adjusting block movablymounted on said body portion, toggle links connecting said shoes andsaid blocks for adjusting the positions of said shoesrelatively to saidbody portion, and means for 'gidly securing said block on said bodyportions to hold said shoes in their adjusted positions.

9. In a sewer cleaner the combination of a central bodyportion, aplurality of guide shoes adjustably mounted thereon, and having'sharpened edges to cut deposit in a sewer near the inner surface ofthe sewer, means on said body portion for rigidly holding a i-e224 saidguide shoes at different distances from said body portion, providedwithcutting portions ext nding radially in said sewer, and a memberdetachably mounted on the rear end of said body portion and adapted topush through these'wer the material loosened by said cleaner.

l0. lna sci-Yer cleaner the combination of a central body portion, aplurality of guide shoes adjustably mounted thereon, means on said bodyportion for rigidly holding said guide shoes different distances from ofcentral body portion guide shoes adapted to be moved to differentdistances from said bodyportion, and a plurality of disks oi? differentdiameters, any one oi which is adapted to be mounted on said bodyportion and to engage with saidsho'es for holding the same at a definitedistance from said body portion.

12. In a sewer cleaner,'the combination of a central body portion guideshoes adapted to be moved to different distances from said body portion,and a member adapted to be secured on said body portion and the outeredges of which are adapted to engage the inner portions of said guideshoes.

13'; In a sewer cleaner, the combination of a central body portion guideshoes adapted to moved to dili'erent distances from said body portion,and a disk having a part adapted to be secured to said body portion, andrecesses in the outer portion thereof into which parts or said guideshoes are adapted to enter for holding the guide shoes in fixed relationto said'body portion, a

l t. In a sewer cleaner, the combination of a central bodyportion guideshoes adapted to be moved to different distances from said body portion,a member adapted to be secured on said body portion and the outer edgesof which are adapted to engage the inner portionsot said guide shoes,and aplurality of cutting teeth atthe outeredge of said disk whichextend forwardly from said disk. i 15. In a sewer cleaner, thecombination of a central body portion, a plurality of guide shoesadjustably mounted thereon, means on said body portion for rigidlyholding said guide shoes at diilerent distances from said bodyportiomand a guide member adapted to be secured on said body portion andthe outer portions of which are adapted to engage said shoes, wherebysaid shoes may be drawn into engagement with said guide member forpositioning the shoes relatively to said body portion. I

16. In a sewer cleaner, the combination of a body portion comprising aplurality 01':

flanged bars spaced apart, front and rear dratt pieces to which said.bars are con nected, and guide shoes mounted on the flanges of saidbars.

17. In a sewer cleaner, the combination or a body portion comprising aplurality of flanged bars spaced apart, front and rear dratt pieces towhich said bars are connected, and which space said bars apart, guideshoes mounted on said bars, and means mounted in the space between saidbars for adjusing said guide shows toward and from said said bars forholding said links in different angular positions to adjust said shoesrelatively to said body portion.

19. In a sewer cleaner, the combination of a body portion including aplurality of substantially parallel bars, end pieces connecting theopposite ends of said bars, and adjusting screw j ournalled in said endpieces, guide shoes adapted to be positioned at difterent distances fromsaid body portion, and means connecting said adjusting screw and saidguide shoes.

20. In a sewer cleaner, the combination of a body portion including aplurality or" substantially parallel bars, end pieces connecting theopposite ends of said bars, and adjusting screw journalled in said endpieces,

guide shoes, links connecting said bars and.

said guide shoes, and adjusting nut cooperating with said screw andguided on said bars, and means connecting said guide shoes and saidadjusting nut for adjusting said shoes relatively to said body portion.

21. In a sewer cleaner, the combination of a body portion including aplurality of parallel bars, guide shoes, links pivotally connected withsaid guide shoes and said bars, and means for adjusting said guide shoesrelatively to said body portion, said links and the front ends 0]: saidbars and shoes being provided with cutting edges.

22. In a sewer cleaning device, the combination of a body portion, guideshoes mounted on said body portion and which are provided with asubstantially radial flange having cutting faces at an end thereof andwith a substantially circumferential flange provided with cutting edgesat the sides thereof.

23. In a sewer cleaner, the combination of a body portion, guide shoes,links connecting said guide shoes and said body portion, and a diskmounted on said body portion and haying forwardly extending cuttingteeth, said body portion, said links and said guide shoes also beingprovided with cuting edges.

E l. In a sewer cleaner, the combination of a body portion including aplurality of parallel bars, guide shoes, links pivotally connectedwithsaid guide shoes and said bars, means for adjusting said guide shoesrelatively to said body portion, said links and the tront ends of saidbars and shoes beprovu d with cutting edges, and a member mounted on therear portion of said body portion and adapted to push through the sewerthe mater al cut therefrom.

25. In a sewer cleaner, the combination of a body portion including aplurality of parallel bars, guide shoes, links pivotally connected withsaid guide shoes and said bars, means for adjusting said guide shoesrelatively to said body portion, said links and the front ends of saidbars and shoes be ing provided with cutting edges, and amember mountedon the rear portion of said body portion and adapted to push through thesewer the material cut therefrom, said member also having asubstantially annular cutting edge adapted to sever material adjacent tothe walls of the sewer.

26. In a sewer cleaner, the combination of a central body portion, guideshoes, pairs or parallel links connecting each guide shoe and said bodyportion near the front and rear ends of: said guide shoe, whereby saidshoes may swing toward and from said body portion, an adjusting link foreach shoe connected with said body portion and with one end of the shoe,and a disk mounted on said body portion and adapted to be engaged by theother ends of said shoes.

27. A sewer cleaner having cutting mem bers which are arranged to make aseries of substantially radial cuts in a sewer and arranged at an angleso that the middle portion of the deposit will be cut first, means onsaid sewer cleaner for making a substantially circular out adjacent tothe Wall of the sewer pipe, and means for pushing the 9 out materiallengthwise of a sewer.

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,446,224, grantedFebruary 20, 1923, upon the application of John M. Thompson and WilliamH. Thompson, of Bufialo, New York, for an improvement in AdjustableSewer Cleaners, errors appear in the printed specification requiringcorrection aS follows: Page 4, line 29, claim 6, for the Word adjustableread adjusting; same page, lines 39 and 40, claim 7, strike out thecomma and Words a pair of parallel links connecting each guide shoe withsaid body portion and insert instead for guiding the movement of saidguide shoes relatively to said body portion; and that the said LettersPatent should be read with these corrections therein that the same mayconform to the record of the case in the Patent Oflice.

Signed and sealed this 1st day of May, A. D., 1923.

[SEAL] KARL FENNING,

Acting Commissioner of Patents.

